diet pain

Healthy Eating Can Be Hard If You Have Chronic Pain

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

vegetable dietNew research published in Scientific Reports found that many patients with chronic pain expressed a desire to have healthier dietary habits, but following through on this desire can be difficult as a result of their pain condition.

Researchers took a deep look at some self-reported aspects of diet and nutrition among patients who were suffering from a chronic pain condition. They found that despite pursuing some common suboptimal habits like fast-food consumption and irregular mealtimes, many patients with chronic pain expressed a desire to live healthier. Researchers say the findings can help healthcare professionals and pain care specialists address nutritional challenges faced by patients with long-term pain.

Healthy Eating And Chronic Pain

For the study, researchers polled more than 2,100 individuals with a chronic pain condition about a variety of lifestyle factors and their pain levels. The average patient was just over 46 years old, and more than half were overweight or obese. More than half said they had been in pain for five or more years and reported high levels of pain intensity.

When comparing lifestyle factors, researchers found:

  • People who said they desired to eat healthier were more like to report a longer duration of pain.
  • A higher pain score was significantly associated with suboptimal eating habits (irregular meal times, unhealthy food choices, etc.).
  • People with the worst eating habits were the most likely to express a desire to eat healthier.

Looking at the totality of the study, it’s clear that there is a large portion of chronic pain sufferers who want to eat healthier but struggle to do so. And this is understandable, because chronic pain has a significant impact on a number of different aspects of your life. Chronic pain can be isolating and increase your risk of anxiety and depression, all of which can increase your risk of turning towards nutrient-poor and energy-rich food options. Doctors should be jumping at the opportunity to help patients improve their eating habits, because clearly the underlying motivation is there, they are just struggling with following through on these desires.

This is especially true when you consider just how much of an impact your diet can have on your chronic pain condition. A poor diet can lead to increased inflammation, increased oxidative stress, poorer gut health and alter your metabolism, all of which can make a chronic pain condition and its symptoms worse. Making some small positive changes can slowly help you become healthier and regain more control over your chronic pain condition.

We understand that changing your diet and eating healthier is not easy, especially when you’re battling a chronic pain condition, but that’s where we come in. We know that treating chronic pain needs to be a multi-faceted approach, and nutrition is just one key aspect that we’ll focus on during your journey to better health. Don’t just opt for a doctor who is going to write you a script and send you on your way. Work with a provider who takes a comprehensive approach to pain care, and we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the success of your treatment.

For more information, or for help with a chronic pain condition you’re experiencing, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today at (952) 738-4580.

Food Choices For Pain and Weight Management

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

healthy diet food choicesEveryone is different, but improving your nutrition can drastically improve how well you feel. A good diet, exercise and adequate sleep all are parts of healthy living. Doing just one of the three things leads to mixed results. Living a balanced life can solve a lot of health problems, and is often very beneficial in treating pain. Unfortunately, doing the right things in life is not always easy. Most of these things take time and planning, and most are not fun.

Food and Pain

Different foods have different effects on the body. There are three basic food categories – proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. They all have different values to the body, and there are many ways to obtain these.

Proteins provide essential amino acids that are necessary for building various chemicals in the body including muscle, and can be a source of delayed onset energy.

Carbohydrates are used for energy, but also are in what we consider fiber.  It is important to remember that the quality of the food is often as important as the number of calories and how the body will use the food.

Fats are necessary also in small amounts for certain chemical processes in the body and can be stored for energy later.

Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean and vegetable type proteins, and healthy fats will provide quality energy during day while maintaining your health. Fast food provides limited short-term energy and often adds to the waistline due to the types of carbohydrates and fats.

Meal Planning and Pain Care

Starting your day with a good breakfast has been a nutritional rule for years. For most people, eating a breakfast with some complex carbohydrates like granola that is high in fiber and fruit, with a source of protein such as yogurt and nuts, provides energy throughout the morning, reducing fatigue and the desire to munch or eat things like donuts.  

Lunch provides the energy for the middle of the day. Some nutritionists say this should be the biggest meal of the day. Most of us do not have the time for this and is something that is eaten in a hurry. Maintaining a high fiber lunch with a protein source is a positive meal. A salad with a low fat piece of protein, like a chicken breast or tuna fish is an excellent meal to help control weight.

Many of us feel the need at times to snack. To help control this urge, drinking plenty of water is sometimes helpful. Nutritionally, one of the best snacks is nuts, especially almonds, walnuts, or other tree type nuts. These help reduce diabetic and cardiac risks, are high in protein, fairly low calories and will fill you up. The main thing to avoid  are sweets and high carbohydrates like potato chips or cookies. Popcorn that is not highly salted is also good due to high fiber content and low calorie amount.

Dinner is one of the hardest meals to do appropriately. It is important to learn balance and portion size. If you are trying to lose weight, eliminate simple carbohydrates like pasta and potatoes. Include salads, vegetables, and fruits to help to fill yourself up. Meat portion size should be about five ounces, and lean meats like chicken, fish and pork are the healthiest. Spaghetti squash can be used at times for a substitute for pasta in many dishes that have a meat sauce. Also, slow down your eating and drink plenty of fluids since both of these strategies help fill oneself up. Lastly, do not eat really late and then go directly to bed since this tends to allow the body to move the calories just eaten into fat for storage reasons. 

Dietary Health For Pain Sufferers

Eating a better diet often allows one to lose weight. Reducing the total calorie intake by reducing fatty foods and simple carbohydrates like bread, potatoes, and pasta, and also reducing sweets can go a long way to meeting a complex goal. The hardest thing is probably reducing the total amount of calories taken in during the day to maintain a balance with the activity level one is performing.

Most everyone will have an increasingly slower metabolism as we age, and to exercise enough to burn off all the calories we eat is often impossible. It takes a wise diet and exercise to lose weight. It is never easy, but the more one learns about eating healthy, the easier it becomes to lose weight. Discipline in diet is probably more important than any fad diet, and be sure to choose a diet that you can follow long-term.